Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion ofUniversal Credit claimants met with a dedicated work coach in 2023 under the In-Work Progression Offer.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government is committed to supporting individuals who are in low paid work to progress, helping them increase their earnings and move into better paid quality jobs. Universal Credit seeks to ensure that claimants are better off working more hours and earning more money, helping them ultimately to become financially independent. Universal Credit claimants who earn below the Administrative Earnings Threshold (AET) of £677 for an individual and £1083 for a couple are placed within the Universal Credit Intensive Work Search (IWS) labour market regime. This means they receive mandatory support from a work coach and must look for and take up more or better-paid work, as well as attend regular meetings with their work coach. Currently information regarding the proportion of Universal Credit claimants that met with a dedicated work coach in 2023 is not available, as data on work coach appointments is not currently recorded in a way that would allow this to be measured.

Employment Schemes: Chronic Illnesses and Disability

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: To ask His Majesty's Government how many people have used theUniversal Support programme in 2023 in England and Wales.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Universal Support is a new, voluntary employment programme for inactive disabled people and those with health conditions who have additional barriers to employment. The main programme expected to launch in Autumn 2024, will offer individuals up to 12 months of ‘place and train’ support by a dedicated keyworker, helping them find a suitable role and catering to their needs. Universal Support is in the early stages of development, and we will publish further information in due course.

Employment Schemes: Chronic Illnesses and Disability

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: To ask His Majesty's Government how manyemployment advisors there are in health settings in England.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: There are 1,500 employment advisors as of the end of October 2023 in England. ActivityFTE(UCJC) Armed Forces Champion Lead.10(UCJC) Armed Forces Champion.30(UCJC) DWP Group Partnerships Mgmt.30(UCJC) DWP National Emp/Pship Teams.70(UCJC) DWP Partnerships LM/Skills Prov.200(UCJC) DWP Partnerships Relationship Mgmt.180(UCJC) Emp/Pship Admin Support.40(UCJC) Employer Engagement.750(UCJC) FJ Verification Svs.10(UCJC) SWAP Employer Partnership.190JC Employer and Partnerships - TOTAL1,500  Source: Derived from the department’s Activity Based Model (ABM). Employment Advisers (EAs) are based in Jobcentres and not in health settings. Their role includes finding employment opportunities for Work Coaches to discuss with claimants, setting up job fairs and liaising with employers. Data is drawn at the end of each month. Data is correct as of the end of October 2023 and has been rounded to the nearest 10.For the purposes of answering this question the JC Employer and Partnerships product group has been used which contains the activity lines as shown in the table above.Only those in England have been included.Figures were derived from the department’s Activity Based Model (ABM), which provides Full Time Equivalent (FTE) figures based on point in time estimate by Line Managers. They cover only FTE of staff with paid employment. No overtime FTE is included.The number of Employment Advisers is unpublished management information, collected and intended for internal department use and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics standard. As the department holds the information, we have released it.

Department for Education

Schools: Concrete

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will be providing funding to schoolswhich identified safety issues relating to reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete and which began or finishedthe relevant repair work before July to fully cover the cost of such work.

Baroness Barran: It is the responsibility of those who run schools - academy trusts, local authorities and voluntary-aided school bodies - to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools and to alert the department if there is a serious concern with a building. It has always been the case that where the department is made aware a building may pose an immediate risk, immediate action is taken.The department will spend what it takes to keep children safe. The department will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make buildings safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary.The department will fund refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects where these are needed, to remove RAAC from the school estate. Schools and colleges will either be offered capital grants or rebuilding projects where these are needed, including through the School Rebuilding Programme. The department will set out further details for affected schools and colleges in due course.The department will carefully consider claims submitted by responsible bodies for essential RAAC related works, taking into account the particular circumstances of each case.The department recognises that some responsible bodies will already have carried out emergency mitigation works, where RAAC was deemed ‘critical,’ based on the advice of the department’s surveys or from other qualified professionals, and in most cases we will reimburse these costs.Prior to 31 August 2023, the point at which the department’s advice on the risks of RAAC changed, some responsible bodies or schools may also have chosen to take action on RAAC in their buildings where it wasn’t deemed critical, and others may have chosen to go further and removed RAAC entirely. In these cases, as with any other capital works, the responsible bodies will have taken decisions as part of their own estate strategy, based on their assessment of any professional advice they'd received and the affordability of the project.This work would typically have been funded through annual capital funding provided by the department to the sector, or from other sources of funding, such as a responsible body’s reserves. In these cases, the department is not providing additional funding to the funding the responsible bodies will have used to pay for the work.In addition to the department’s support on RAAC, the department has committed £1.8 billion of capital funding for the 2023/24 financial year to improve the condition of school buildings, as part of over £15 billion allocated since 2015. Alongside this, the department will transform poor condition buildings at 500 schools and sixth form colleges over the coming decade through the School Rebuilding Programme.The department will always put the safety and wellbeing of children and staff in schools and colleges at the heart of its policy decisions. The government has taken more proactive action to identify and mitigate RAAC in education settings than the devolved administrations in the UK, or indeed, governments overseas.

Attorney General

Crown Prosecution Service: Gender

Lord Lucas: To ask His Majesty's Government what action the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has taken to ensure that it operates an inclusive environment for employees with gender critical beliefs and those opposed to those beliefs; and whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of any CPS employee guidance or other documents that bear on this issue.

Lord Stewart of Dirleton: All employees are expected to act in accordance with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Values which state, “We will treat everyone with respect. We will respect each other, our colleagues, and the public we serve, recognising that there are people behind every case.”A member of the National D&I team is a member of the Sex Equality and Equity Network (SEEN) civil service network to ensure that a gender critical perspective is considered when commenting on policy and process change.

Domestic Abuse

Lord Lucas: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) consulted individuals or organisations outside the CPS about its plans to revise its domestic abuse guidance in 2022; and, if so, which individuals or organisations.

Lord Stewart of Dirleton: The Domestic Abuse Prosecution Guidance was revised in 2022 to reflect changes brought in by the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (DA Act).The new legislation created the need for an updated document that accurately reflects the law relating to domestic abuse and appropriately supports prosecutors in their application of it. The revision was necessary, and as such, no external organisations or individuals were consulted as to whether the CPS should revise the Guidance.External stakeholders were consulted on later revisions of the guidanceThe Solicitor General has answered a question regarding the organisations consulted when Annex D of the guidance was being developed (PQ 604).

Domestic Abuse

Lord Lucas: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Crown Prosecution Service carried out an impact assessment with regards to (1) the protected characteristic of sex, and (2) belief in the immutability of sex, before the 2022 revision of its domestic abuse guidance; and if so, whether they will place a copy of this impact assessment in the Library of the House.

Lord Stewart of Dirleton: In accordance with the Public Sector Equality Duty, under s.149 of the Equality Act 2010, a full Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) was conducted when the Domestic Abuse Prosecution Guidance 2022 was revised in order to appropriately identify and consider its potential impact in terms of equality. It gave due regard to equality considerations for protected characteristics as detailed within the body of s.149.The EIA for the Domestic Abuse Prosecution Guidance remains under review and has been updated on several occasions since the guidance was published in 2022. The CPS do not intend to place a copy of the EIA in the Library as it is continuously reviewed and updated. A copy of the document as it appeared in 2022 has been provided.DA Legal Guidance EIA 2022 Copy (pdf, 445.9KB)

Hate Crime

Lord Lucas: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Crown Prosecution Service’s assertion that there is a “Global narrative attacking the rights of all protected characteristics” as stated in its Pride Month Hate Crime Roundtable report of 23 June, published on the Crown Prosecution Service website.

Lord Stewart of Dirleton: The article in the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) community newsletter published in June 2023 relates to a Pride month hate crime roundtable event. The roundtable was a local community engagement event held with members of the LGBT community affected by homophobic and transphobic hate crime. The quote represents reportage of discussion amongst external attendees at the event and was not intended to reflect organisational views of the CPS.

Hate Crime: Transphobia

Lord Lucas: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the propriety of Crown Prosecution Service staff referring to live criminal cases as examples of transphobic hate in published material such as newsletters, and roundtable reports, and what guidance they have issued in this regard.

Lord Stewart of Dirleton: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) emphasises that criminal proceedings in live cases are active and the defendants have a right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.The CPS has published legal guidance on reporting restrictions, it can be found here: https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/contempt-court-reporting-restrictions-and-restrictions-public-access-hearings

Gender Based Violence and Hate Crime

Lord Lucas: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend toplace in the Library of the House, for each Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) panel or group thatrelates to hate crime or violence against women and girls: (1) its name; (2) its current membership; and (3) a description of the process for selecting members and anyCPScriteria for the balance of its membership.

Lord Stewart of Dirleton: The Crown Prosecution Service keeps membership of all local and national external stakeholder groups, panels and forums under review to ensure that they contain relevant expertise and are representative of communities served.Membership is subject to frequent change based on the nature of the forum or thematic subject being explored at any given meeting.This material will not be placed in the Library of the House due to the level of resource that would be required to keep such dynamic information up-to-date.

Crown Prosecution Service: Gender

Lord Lucas: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has taken to ensure that people with gender critical beliefs are represented on CPS panels and forums wheresuch beliefs are relevant, such as hate crime panels.

Lord Stewart of Dirleton: Members of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) National External Consultation Group on Hate Crime are selected for their expertise in hate crime and are drawn from academia and the third sector.The CPS keeps membership of all external stakeholder groups under review to ensure that they contain relevant expertise and are representative of the communities the CPS serves.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Human Rights

Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask His Majesty's Government what arethe problems in the system for the release, licence and recall of prisoners that would be solved by the disapplication of section 3 of the Human Rights Act 1998.

Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask His Majesty's Government what consultationsthey have had with the judiciary over the impact of the selective disapplication of section 3 of the Human Rights Act 1998 from certain pieces of legislation and not others.

Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask His Majesty's Government what has changed in the UK courts’ interpretation of section 3 of the Human Rights Act 1998 since the Independent Human Rights Act Review found that there was “little to no evidence to support the position that UK courts are misusing section 3”, so as to justify the disapplication of section 3 from all legislation regarding the release, licence and recall of prisoners in the Victims and Prisoners Bill.

Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions have taken place between (1) the Ministry of Justice, and (2) the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, about the possible impact on the UK’s efforts to promote the universality of human rights internationally of its pursuit of a Victims and Prisoners Bill that selectively disapplies human rights protections from sentenced prisoners.

Lord Bellamy: The Victims and Prisoners Bill has not yet reached Report stage in the House of Commons, meaning it is not in the final form in which it will be introduced to the House of Lords. I look forward to debating this Bill with the Noble Lord and others shortly once it has reached the House of Lords in the form approved by the House of Commons.

Parole Board

Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask His Majesty's Government what factorsthey envisage would cause a Ministerto use the power contained in the Victims and Prisoners Bill to dismiss the Chair of the Parole Board on grounds of"public confidence".

Lord Bellamy: The Victims and Prisoners Bill has not yet reached Report stage in the House of Commons, meaning it is not in the final form in which it will be introduced to the House of Lords. I look forward to debating this Bill with the Noble Lord and others shortly once it has reached the House of Lords in the form approved by the House of Commons.

Parole

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede: To ask His Majesty's Government, regarding provisions in the Victims and Prisoners Bill for a ministerial veto and subsequent appeal to the Upper Tribunal for 'top tier' parole decisions, what assessment they have made of the effect of these new stages of the parole process on (1) prison capacity, (2) the victims of crime, (3) prisoners and (4) prison staff.

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede: To ask His Majesty's Government, regarding provisions in the Victims and Prisoners Bill for a ministerial veto and subsequent appeal to the Upper Tribunal for 'top tier' parole decisions, how they intend to implement these new stages of the parole process whilst complying with the legal duty under Article 5 ECHR to determine parole decisions ‘speedily’.

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede: To ask His Majesty's Government, regarding provisions in the Victims and Prisoners Bill for a ministerial veto and subsequent appeal to the Upper Tribunal for 'top tier' parole decisions, what assessment they have made of the importance of clarity and finality of parole decision making for (1) the victims of crime, (2) prisoners, and (3) the safe and efficient management of prisons; and of the likely impact of these new stages of the parole process.

Lord Bellamy: The Victims and Prisoners Bill has not yet reached Report stage in the House of Commons, meaning it is not in the final form in which it will be introduced to the House of Lords. I look forward to debating this Bill with the Noble Lord and others shortly once it has reached the House of Lords in the form approved by the House of Commons.

Parole

Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask His Majesty's Government what consultations they have had with (1) victims of crime, and (2) statutory bodies that support victims of crime, over the proposal to extend the parole process by creating a Ministerial veto power subject to a full merits appeal in ‘top tier’ cases.

Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount of ministerial time that would be required to review all parole release decisions in ‘top tier’ cases.

Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask His Majesty's Government whether decisions to veto a parole board decision to release in ‘top tier’ cases would be based solely on the Minister’s personal view of whether the test was met or not; and if so, why a Minister is better placed than a Parole Board to make such an assessment.

Lord Bellamy: The Victims and Prisoners Bill has not yet reached Report stage in the House of Commons, meaning it is not in the final form in which it will be introduced to the House of Lords. I look forward to debating this Bill with the Noble Lord and others shortly once it has reached the House of Lords in the form approved by the House of Commons.

Home Office

Refugees: Afghanistan

Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws: To ask His Majesty's Government how are decisions made on, and what is the process for, resettling more Afghans from Pakistan who are facing expulsion in addition to the 3,000 already accepted under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme; and what steps they are taking in that regard, including on prioritising the 20 female Afghan judges who are in Pakistan.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: Resettlement of eligible Afghans remains a top priority for this government. As of June 2023, around 24,600 vulnerable people affected by the events in Afghanistan have been brought to safety. This includes British Nationals and their families, Afghans who loyally served the UK and others identified as particularly at-risk, such as campaigners for women's rights, human rights defenders, Chevening scholars, journalists, judges and members of the LGBT+ community.We are aware of the recent Government of Pakistan announcements regarding Afghans in Pakistan and appreciate the impact of this on those awaiting resettlement. HMG has engaged intensively with the Government of Pakistan to secure assurances that none of those eligible under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) will be subject to deportation.Visas continue to be issued to individuals eligible for the ACRS and ARAP schemes and flights are continuing to bring eligible Afghans to the UK.The ACRS is not open to applications. Instead, eligible individuals are prioritised and referred for resettlement to the UK through the existing pathways under this scheme. Our Afghan schemes have been designed to be fair and equitable in identifying those in need of resettlement or relocation to the UK.We recognise there are many vulnerable individuals who remain in Afghanistan and the region. Whilst the government maintains a generous resettlement offer, we must recognise that the capacity of the UK to resettle people is not unlimited and difficult decisions have to be made on who will be prioritised for resettlement.

Youth Mobility Scheme: EU Countries

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps if any they are taking to negotiate bilateral youth mobility schemes with countries across Europe to ensure UK travel businesses can hire UK citizens for critical tourism roles overseas.

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for Immigration on23 June (HC189553), what progress they have made towards negotiating bilateral youth mobility schemes with EU countries, particularly France, Greece, Italy and Spain.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The UK remain open to negotiating Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) arrangements with other countries and territories, including EU Member States. However, as each YMS is subject to a bilateral, reciprocal agreement which also provides benefit to UK nationals, with the detail negotiated and agreed between the relevant parties, we are unable to disclose the status of negotiations as they occur.We have recently agreed new YMS arrangements with Andorra and Uruguay. From 31 January 2024, nationals of these countries will be eligible to travel to and experience life in the UK for up to 2 years.We have also agreed to enhance our existing schemes with Australia, Canada and Japan. For Australian and Canadian citizens who are looking to take advantage of the UK’s YMS, the age range will be increased from 18-30 to 18-35 and they will have the option of extending their YMS visa for an additional year, taking the total length of stay in the UK from 2 to 3 years. UK citizens will also have the same access into those countries. The annual quota associated with the UK’s youth mobility arrangement with Japan will increase to 6,000 places on a reciprocal basis. We are intending to implement these enhancements on 31 January 2024.We remain committed to expanding our YMS to more nations, including but not limited to those within the EU. Further details of additional YMS agreements will be announced once they are concluded.

Community Protection Notices

Lord Moylan: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of theuse of Community Protection Notices since 2014.

Lord Moylan: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to make anassessment of the use of Community Protection Notices, with a view to (1) ensuring compliance with statutory guidance, and (2) considering what improvements may be made to the latter.

Lord Moylan: To ask His Majesty's Government whatplans they have to publish statistics on the numbers of Community Protection Notices issued by councils and police.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy the powers in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, including Community Protection Notices (CPN), depending on the specific circumstances. They are best placed to understand what is driving the behaviour in question, the impact that it is having, and to determine the most appropriate response.The Home Office published statutory guidance to support local areas to make effective use of these powers. The guidance sets out the importance of focusing on the needs of the victim and the local community, as well as ensuring that the relevant legal tests are met. This guidance was updated in March 2023 to ensure a victim-centred approach to tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) as well as stronger use of the powers and tools in the 2014 Act. The guidance is regularly reviewed and updated in line with stakeholder feedback on the powers to ensure greater and more consistent use.HMICFRS routinely collect data on CPNs and wider powers directly from police forces for the purposes of inspection activity. We will be publishing the latest statistics on use of ASB powers across England and Wales by the police, including Community Protection Notices, as part of a broader piece of research on police perception of ASB powers.On 27 March 2023, in parallel with publication of the Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan, the Government launched a consultation on the ASB powers and Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs). The consultation, which was referenced in the ASB Action Plan, was intended to garner views on strengthening powers, including CPNs, to tackle ASB; and strengthening the relationship between CSPs and Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to give PCCs a greater role in CSP activity, including how they tackle ASB. A Government response to the findings in the consultation will be published in due course.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws: To ask His Majesty's Government how many Afghans have been accepted under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme whose resettlement is suspended; what is the cause of, and what steps are being taken to resolve, such suspensions; and what assistance is being provided to families pending resettlement.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: We continue to honour our commitment to bring eligible Afghans to the UK and plans are underway to relocate families as soon as possible. Data on how many Afghans have been accepted on ACRS and are in third countries is internal operational data and not for release at this time.

Asylum

Lord German: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Prime Minister on 13 December 2022 when he stated that "we expect to abolish the backlog of initial asylum decisions by the end of next year" (HC Deb col 887), what progress they have made in reaching that target.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: We remain on track to clear the legacy backlog by the end of 2023. The asylum backlog of legacy cases fell by over 35,000 cases between the end of November 2022 and the end of August 2023 when, according to provisional data, it stood at 55,477 outstanding claims.  23,702 asylum claims were decided in the year ending June 2023, an increase of 61% on the previous year, in part due to an increase in the number of asylum decision-makers employed by the Home Office.  We met our commitment to increase the number of asylum decision-makers to 2,500, and at the end of August 2023, provisional data shows there were 2,510 in post.

Abortion: Demonstrations

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government when they propose to implementlegislation on buffer zones around abortion clinics.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: I refer to the statement made by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Home Office in the House of Lords on 20th November.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Evan Gershkovich

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking tohelp secure the release of Evan Gershkovich from prison in Russia.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The detention of Evan Gershkovich illustrates Russia's disregard for media freedom. Both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have called for his immediate release. As a US national, the US Government is providing Mr Gershkovich with consular support. The UK remains in close contact with the US and continues to assist their efforts to secure his release. The UK has raised his case at the OSCE, most recently on 2 November the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. The UK has also condemned the Russian authorities' crackdown on non-government-controlled media at the UN Human Rights Council.

Islands: Climate Change

Lord Naseby: To ask His Majesty's Government what (1) economic, (2) logistical and (3) technological support they are providing to ensure that sea-level rise does not endanger the continued existence of Small Island States.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Building resilience to the impacts of climate change, economic shocks and natural disasters is at the heart of the UK vision for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Our £11.6 billion commitment for climate finance and our role as a major contributor to global climate funds has enabled the UK to support SIDS resilience. We will provide $2 billion to the Green Climate Fund's (GCF) second replenishment (2024-27). This equates to £1.623 billion and is the biggest single funding commitment the UK has made to help the world tackle climate change. We provide approximately £200 million of aid annually to SIDS, including:• the £36 million Sustainable Blue Economies (SBE) programme supporting development of prosperous ocean-based economies while protecting nature and increasing climate resilience.• £40 million 'Small Island Developing State Capacity and Resilience' (SIDAR) programme, supporting better access to funding and building state resilience.• The UK's £350 million Caribbean Infrastructure Fund supports resilient infrastructure for states acutely vulnerable to natural disasters as does our £10 million contribution to the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) facility (announced at COP26 by PM Modi and PM Johnson). We are also providing further support to SIDS through other global Blue Planet Fund programmes, including being part of Defra's Ocean Country Partnership Programme (£65 million), the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (£33 million), and Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (£13.9 million).

Darfur: Armed Conflict

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the seizure of three Sudanese army bases in Darfur by the Rapid Support Forces.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK condemns the ongoing violence in Sudan, including over recent days in Darfur. Continuing reports of atrocities against civilians there bear all the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing. The UK calls upon both warring parties to uphold the commitments they made in the 11 May Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan, and we urge the leadership of the Rapid Support Forces to control their fighters in Darfur and put an end to the atrocities being committed. The UK has called on both sides to de-escalate, refrain from ethnically-targeted violence, and focus on negotiating an end to this conflict.

Corruption: International Courts

Lord Hain: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they haveto meet with US Judge Mark Wolf in London during the week of 13 November to discuss progress on proposals for an International Anti-Corruption Court.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: I [Lord Ahmad] do not have plans to meet with Judge Wolf during his visit due to prior commitments. As far as we are aware, there are no plans for Ministers from elsewhere in Government to meet with Judge Wolf either. The government outlined its position on this subject matter on 6 July 2023 in the House of Lords [https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2023-07-06/debates/DB0613A7-1D77-482D-A180-20745447DD92/InternationalAnti-CorruptionCourt#contribution-A203485E-C9F6-4E51-BFF6-25D39DBA3826].

Pacific Islands: Climate Change

Lord Naseby: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the position adopted in theDeclaration on Preserving Maritime Zones in the Face of Climate Change-related Sea-Level Rise, published in August 2021 by the Pacific Islands Forum,including that no state should lose territory of any kind as a result of human-caused climate change.

Lord Naseby: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to ensure that states currently at risk from sea-level rise will not lose their current territory and other entitlements under international law.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We acknowledge that sea level rise poses challenges with respect to the stability of maritime boundaries and we recognise that this is a significant concern for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and other coastal countries including the UK. We have taken careful note of the Pacific Islands Forum declaration on this topic and are considering it in detail. The UK acknowledges that this is a matter of considerable importance to (SIDS) who are uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. We continue to work with SIDS to drive global ambition of emissions reductions, and support adaptation and resilience in SIDS including through accessing finance. The UK Government has a number of programmes which will support SIDS and which aim to strengthen resilience against climate change, such as the global £500 million Blue Planet Fund.

Department for Business and Trade

Construction: Credit

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what additional steps they are taking to address increasing borrowing costs which are impacting the construction sector.

Lord Offord of Garvel: High inflation is bad for growth, so returning inflation to the 2% target is the right priority to tackle inflation and help the economy grow. The independent Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England is responsible for monetary policy. It continues to have the Government's full support, as it takes action to return inflation to the 2% target. This action will support the construction sector, through reducing the cost of finance, including mortgages, that provide the funding for commercial and domestic construction projects.

Treasury

Off-payroll Working: Money Laundering

Lord Bradshaw: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they take to ensure that small businesses offering personal services advertising as cash only pay all their taxes and charges and are not avenues for money laundering.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government is committed to creating a level playing field for all sectors by ensuring that everyone pays the right amount of tax at the right time. Like all other businesses, those which exclusively accept cash must meet their tax obligations. HMRC’s approach to tax evasion aims to tackle current non-compliance and change future behaviours. Their activities include national campaigns and specialist task forces that incorporate intensive bursts of activity in targeted high risk trade sectors (including the retail and service industry) and locations across the UK. HMRC also works with customer groups and third parties, such as other local and central Government agencies, to reduce error and fraud within these sectors. This includes providing customer education highlighting the importance of keeping accurate records. HMRC uses a range of data and intelligence sources, including compliance visits, when necessary, to ensure businesses are complying with their tax obligations but also aren’t engaged in any other illicit activity like money laundering. If suspicions of money laundering are identified, and it is appropriate for HMRC to investigate, the department works with the appropriate prosecuting authority to pursue a criminal prosecution for money laundering. HMRC take any report of suspected tax evasion seriously and operate a confidential Fraud Telephone Hotline and an online reporting tool available on GOV.UK.

Interest Rates: Property

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans theyhave to mitigate the impact of increased interest rates on the residential property market.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government is addressing the impact of increased interest rates on the residential property market listening to the needs of all stakeholders in the market, including first-time buyers, homeowners, and housebuilders. The Prime Minister has been clear, the best and most important way that we can keep costs and interests down for people is to halve inflation, and then return it to the 2% target. For example, the government is supporting homeowners to manage with increased interest rates. In June, lenders representing over 90% of the market agreed to our new Mortgage Charter, which includes new flexibilities to help customers manage their mortgage payments over a short period. This charter builds on existing safeguards for consumers in the mortgage market. The government also continues to provide extensive support to first-time buyers, including through the £11.5 billion 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and our new First Homes Scheme which offers discounts of at least 30% to first-time buyers.

Debts: Cuba

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government whatcontribution they make to the Paris Club group of official creditors; how they monitor the use of any contributions to the group, and in particular whetherany funds have been providedto Cuba in the last five years in funding or in debts being written off.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Paris Club is an informal group of official creditors who coordinate on providing debt treatments for debtor countries. The UK does not make any financial contributions to the Paris Club, nor does the Paris Club have a function in providing any finance directly to countries. Any debt treatments agreed by the Paris Club are implemented on a bilateral basis between the official creditor and debtor countries. In 2015, the Group of Creditors of Cuba (GCC), including the UK, agreed a debt treatment with the Government of the Republic of Cuba to restructure USD 2.6 billion of debt in arrears, over an 18-year period. In 2021, the GCC agreed to defer payments due under the 2015 agreement.

Ministry of Defence

Indo-Pacific Region: Armed Forces

Lord Rogan: To ask His Majesty's Government whatplans they have to deploy UK Armed Forces to the Indo-Pacific region to help counter the threat from China to Taiwan.

The Earl of Minto: The UK has a clear interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion. We do not support any unilateral attempts to change the status quo. This includes increased Chinese assertiveness towards Taiwan.

Department for Transport

Rapid Transit Systems: Warwickshire

Lord Haselhurst: To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the Very Light Rail prototype under development by Coventry City Council and the University of Warwick.

Lord Davies of Gower: Very Light Rail in Coventry is an emerging technology being researched and developed by Coventry City Council (CCC) and West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). Local proposals to develop this technology include building a demonstrator route in Coventry City Centre. WMCA has included the development of Very Light Rail within its £1.05 billion City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) programme agreed with Government. Investment decisions on the Very Light Rail programme are subject to approval by the Department for Transport. The Department’s officials have reviewed the Strategic Outline Business Case for the VLRRP, which is now being progressed through bespoke governance as a Research and Development project to reflect the novel nature of the Very Light Rail prototype.

High Speed 2 Line: Old Oak Common Station

Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of expected journey times between the HS2 station at Old Oak Common and Tottenham Court Road Underground station via (1) the planned HS2 station at Euston and the Northern line, and (2) the Elizabeth line.

Lord Davies of Gower: We do not have modelled journey times from Old Oak Common to Tottenham Court Road as requested. The nearest station for which we have estimated journey times is Bond Street (see table below), with journey times broadly similar by either route . Estimated journey times comprise in-vehicle time, wait time and walking time. DestinationFrom Old Oak Common via Elizabeth LineFrom Old Oak Common via Euston on HS2Bond Street24.8 mins24.6 mins

Railways: North of England and Midlands

Lord Grocott: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to paragraph 63 in the Department of Transport's document Network North published in October (CP 946), what is (1) the estimated cost, and (2) the estimated completion date, for the lines from (a) Burton to Leicester, and (b) Stoke to Leek.

Lord Davies of Gower: Following the Network North announcement, the Department for Transport is in the early stages of planning next steps, including delivery timelines, for individual schemes and is working closely with Network Rail and other delivery partners to develop and deliver on Government priorities. Further information will be set out in due course.

High Speed 2 Line: Construction

Lord Grocott: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 26 October (HL10766),how much money has been spent to date on the Manchester leg of HS2.

Lord Davies of Gower: Information related to the spend to date on HS2, including Phase 2b Western Leg, was provided in the most recent Parliamentary Report published in November 2023. To date, £0.7bn (2019 prices) has been spent on the Phase 2b Western Leg of the HS2 Programme. This funding was used to prepare the Phase 2b Western Leg Bill. Following the Network North announcement, Government is now considering options to repurpose this Bill in order to deliver Northern Powerhouse Rail. The Department for Transport remains committed to providing regular updates to Parliament on the progress of the Programme with a further update expected in Spring 2024.

Railway Stations: Construction

Lord Bradshaw: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 26 October (10507), what assessment they have made of the adequacy of the existing appraisal methodology developed by Leeds ITS to assess the impact of the opening of new railway stations; and whether they have any plans to allow other contractors to develop new methodology for such purposes.

Lord Davies of Gower: We are aware and welcome the work by Leeds ITS. It is a valued contribution on station appraisal. We are reviewing our guidance in this area which we will update in due course. As with all areas of transport appraisal, suppliers are welcome to innovate and develop their own approaches providing they are well justified and evidence based.

Women and Equalities

HIV Infection: Discrimination

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are considering any proposals to protect individuals living with HIV from discrimination in various sectors, including healthcare, education, employment and housing; and, if so, what are their plans.

Baroness Swinburne: The Equality Act’s definition of disability automatically covers people with HIV when they are in or seeking employment or seeking to access services, whether in the public or private sectors. As well as providing protection from discrimination, the Act requires employers and service providers to make reasonable adjustments for people living with HIV. For example, an employer would be expected to allow such an employee reasonable time off work to visit hospital in connection with their condition. Employers and service providers who fail to meet their legal obligations can face legal action, should the disabled person opt for this. In addition, the public sector equality duty (section 149 of the Act - 'PSED') requires public authorities, in the exercise of their functions, to have due regard to the need to:eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other unlawful conduct prohibited by the Act;advance equality of opportunity between people who share and people who do not share a relevant protected characteristic; andfoster good relations between people who share and people who do not share a relevant protected characteristic. A raft of guidance and codes of practice are available to help employers and service providers comply with their legal obligations under the Act. People with HIV who think they have experienced discrimination may contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS), the government helpline established to provide free bespoke advice and in-depth support to individuals with discrimination concerns. The EASS can be contacted via their website - http://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/, by telephone on 0808 8000082 or text phone on 0808 8000084. The EASS has the ability to intervene on an individual’s behalf with a service provider to help resolve an issue. The EASS can also advise people who wish to take their complaint further on their options.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

Peers: Opening of Parliament

Lord Trefgarne: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what was the approximate number of Noble Lords attending the State Opening of Parliament on 7 November; and whether this represents the greatest number on record.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The number of Peers attending the Chamber for the State Opening of Parliament is not recorded; but all of the approximately 180 available spaces for Members of the House were occupied for the State Opening this year. This figure does not include 14 Lords spiritual or eight members of the House who were either part of the procession or hold certain offices and were present in the Chamber due to the offices they hold. We do not have records to say how this compares to previous State Openings.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Buildings: Carbon Emissions

Lord Ravensdale: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byEarl Howe on 4 September (HL Deb col 282), whether the consultationon their approach to measuring and reducing embodied carbon in new buildings will be launched before the end of the year; and which “specific interventions” will be included in the consultation.

Baroness Penn: The Government remains committed to consulting on our approach to measuring and reducing embodied carbon in due course.Government is listening to calls for a change to the Building Regulations. This consultation, and the in-depth research which informs it, will support the development of future policy.

Housing: Energy

Lord Teverson: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to incorporate references to (1) solar gain and (2) solar shading, in the design requirements for new-build homes in order to mitigate the effects of overheating.

Lord Teverson: To ask His Majesty's Government what plansthey have to incorporate references to (1) solar gain and (2) solar shading, in their guidance on the retrofitting of older homesin order to mitigate the effects of overheating.

Baroness Penn: Part O of the Building Regulations was introduced in 2021 to reduce the risk of overheating in new residential buildings . Part O came into effect in June 2022. This means that new residential buildings must now be designed in such a way as to reduce overheating. This requirement is met by designing and constructing the building to limit unwanted solar gains in summer (including through shading) and by providing an adequate means of removing excess heat.In existing residential buildings, insulation measures can help reduce risks of overheating, if correctly installed and with adequate ventilation. This is why all energy efficiency measures installed under current government funded schemes require installers to be Trustmark registered and measures must also be installed in accordance with the Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 2030 and PAS 2035 standards, protecting the consumer against poor workmanship. PAS 2035/2030 requires a whole house approach to home retrofit projects and ensures that the risks of unintended consequences, such as mould and condensation due to poor ventilation, are minimised.We are also considering the issues surrounding overheating in homes created through a material change of use (i.e. homes created by converting another building type, such as an office block) and whether changes to the Building Regulations are appropriate. We intend to consult on our approach to overheating in these homes as part of our consultation on the Future Homes Standard.Details of further work to determine risk and guide interventions related to overheating, including in existing homes, is set out in the Third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) report, published in July 2023.

Cabinet Office

Hikvision: CCTV

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government whatdiscussions they have had (1) with, or (2) about, Hikvision regarding the removal of surveillance cameras which comply with China’s National Intelligence Law from (a) sensitive sites, and (b) the UK’s public procurement supply chain.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Cabinet Office has not had discussions with Hikvision regarding the removal of surveillance cameras produced by companies subject to China's National Intelligence Law. A letter was written on 1 August 2023 to confirm the position of the Government in respect of the Written Ministerial Statement of 24 November 2022.We have had regular internal discussions about protecting the UK’s public procurement supply chain.

Import Controls

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government to what extent the planned engagement with stakeholders will informa decision on readiness to proceed with implementation of the Border Target Operating Model from January 2024.

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of businesses' readiness to operate under theBorder Target Operating Model.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Border Target Operating Model was published in August 2023, setting out the timeline for import controls which will be implemented from the end of January 2024. The biosecurity and security reasons for these changes are set out in the Border Target Operating Model. The publication of the Border Target Operating Model gave clarity to businesses about which import controls will be introduced and when, and gave sufficient time for businesses to prepare.The Government engaged extensively with stakeholders prior to the publication of the final Border Target Operating Model and in response to stakeholder feedback some of the implementation milestones were moved in order to give businesses more time to prepare. Stakeholder readiness for the implementation of the Border Target Operating Model has therefore been taken into account and prioritised throughout.It is the responsibility of businesses who are impacted by these changes to prepare for upcoming controls. To help businesses with these changes, the Government is carrying out a comprehensive programme of engagement both in the UK and in the EU to ensure businesses understand the changes, and are therefore prepared for the new 2024 import controls.The Government has not received significant feedback from stakeholders to suggest that they are not prepared for the introduction of new controls. The Government will continue to engage with and support business as the Border Target Operating Model is implemented from the end of January 2024.

Department of Health and Social Care

NHS: Staff

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to the Chief Executive of NHS England about the appropriateness of employing NHS staff who have supported calling for (1) a Jihad, or (2) the destruction of Israel.

Lord Markham: The Secretary of State has not made representations to the Chief Executive of NHS England about the appropriateness of employing National Health Service staff who have supported calling for a Jihad, or the destruction of Israel.

Brain: Tumours

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to the APPG on Brain Tumours report Pathway to a Cure, published in February, what consideration they have given to developing or extending National Institute for Health and Care Research fellowships specifically to support brain tumour researchers.

Lord Markham: The Department is taking actions to help develop or extend fellowships to support brain tumour researchers. For example, in July 2023, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) jointly funded with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM), the first two TJBCM Neuro-Oncology Fellowships, a new Fellowship Programme to support high quality training in neuro-oncology clinical practice and research to ensure clinicians are equipped with the relevant research skills needed to lead neuro-oncology trials that change practice.Other capacity-building initiatives underway include, the designation of 28 TJBCM adult Centres of Excellence within the National Health Service, creating a world-class network of brain tumour treatment and research centres to provide the best care and share best practice; the Tessa Jowell Academy Programme, a free national learning and networking digital platform for National Health Service brain tumour professionals to share excellence in research, treatment and care, and the TJBCM Brain Tumour Research Novel Therapeutics Accelerator programme, to review and provide guidance on the translation and development of novel treatments, guided by a multidisciplinary international group of experts.

NHS England: UK Biobank

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to place in the Library of the House a copy of all current data agreements between NHS England and UK Biobank.

Lord Markham: NHS England publishes details of data sharing agreements through a data uses register available on the NHS England website in an online-only format. Current and previous agreements with UK Biobank can be viewed by searching for them as a data controller.

Dental Services and General Practitioners

Baroness O'Neill of Bexley: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that General Practitioner and Dentistry services are prepared for increased demand arising from future housing developments.

Lord Markham: Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for planning and commissioning healthcare services which meet the reasonable needs of the people for whom they are responsible.ICBs should evaluate the changing needs of the populations for which they are responsible and plan new service provision as required, including planning for future demand for General Practice and Dentistry as a result of new housing developments.To support with pressure on primary care estates, particularly in areas of housing growth, the Government has committed to review the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and planning guidance to raise the priority of primary care infrastructure needed to support an increase in demand for services.We continue to work closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities to ensure these commitments are met through the latest NPPF refresh and negotiations on the future Infrastructure Levy following the passage of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act.

Doctors: Career Development

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the General Medical Council report The state of medical education and practice in the UK: Workforce report 2023, published on 13 November, in particular of the findings relating to traditional or non-traditional career pathways; and what steps they are taking to support greater flexibility in career and training for NHS doctors.

Lord Markham: No assessment has been made. NHS England is continuing the Enhancing Junior Doctors Working Lives programme to implement a number of measures aimed at supporting junior doctors, encouraging them to stay in training and the National Health Service, reducing overall attrition. Examples of these measures include less than full time training options, to allow trainees to continue to work in the NHS and progress with their training on a reduced working pattern, where this is beneficial for their personal circumstances. NHS England is also working with partners to develop a broader range of career pathways and opportunities available to the medical workforce. This includes a commitment to increase career flexibility and training opportunities for doctors in training, locally employed doctors, and specialty and specialist doctors.

Health Services: Disadvantaged

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to use schools and nurseries as hubs for delivering health services to support families and meet the health needs of children and young people,especially within disadvantaged communities.

Lord Markham: The Government supports the use of place-based services and integrated delivery, particularly where this will improve access for more disadvantaged communities. The Government is investing approximately £300 million through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme to deliver a step change in outcomes for babies, children, parents and carers in 75 local authorities in England with high deprivation. Through joined up and enhanced universal services delivered through transformed family hubs, the programme will ensure all parents and carers can access the support they need, at the time they need it. We are also continuing to roll-out Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges across England.Health services should be available and accessible at times and locations that meet the needs of children, young people, and families. Schools and nurseries can function as particularly effective settings. However, decisions concerning the commissioning and location of provider premises are made locally, following engagement with service users and other key stakeholders.

Coronavirus: Medical Treatments

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the stock of approved antiviral treatments of COVID-19, including those recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in August are made readily available to all vulnerable patients.

Lord Markham: The stock of COVID-19 antivirals owned by the Department is available to those who are eligible for treatment in line with an interim clinical commissioning policy for England and the Devolved Nations or National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommendations. Stocks are distributed in England in response to orders received from community pharmacies and National Health Service secondary care trusts who operate under arrangements put in place by the relevant NHS Commissioning Boards. Proportionate allocations have been made to the Devolved Nations and detailed distribution arrangements lie within the remit of the respective national systems.

Fenethylline: Misuse

Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government which NHS trusts in England have reported patients suffering from addiction to Captagon.

Lord Markham: The information requested is not held centrally.

Health Services

Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 28 March (HL6761), whatassessment they have made of the opportunities of utilising peer-to-peer support workers and volunteers with lived experience in the delivery of inclusion health initiatives.

Lord Markham: No assessment has been made.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

British Library: Cybersecurity

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask His Majesty's Government, following the major technology outage experienced by the British Library as a result of a cyber-attack, whether they are confident that sufficient safeguards are in place to protect this national collection.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The British Library is undertaking a forensic investigation of this incident, with the support of the National Cyber Security Centre and cybersecurity specialists, and has reported it to the Information Commissioner’s Office. This investigation will help to provide a full picture of what happened, and the extent of disruption caused. This will take time, during which the British Library is liaising closely with the Department for Culture, Media & Sport and others to provide updates.The attack has been claimed by a known cyber crime group, and we currently have no reason to doubt its claim.The British Library has taken targeted protective measures to ensure the integrity of its systems, including the quarantining of hardware, the resetting of passwords for all staff, and the installation of additional monitoring and detection software across its estate.In the meantime, the British Library’s sites at St Pancras and Boston Spa remain fully open to the public.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Horticulture: Environment Protection

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Benyon on 25 October (HL10678), what steps they intend to take to ensure that the environmental horticulture industry, previously known as “ornamental” horticulture and not including food, receives adequate support and acknowledgement, and is regarded as part of the “green economy” in assessment.

Lord Benyon: The Government recognises that the UK’s environmental (or ornamental) horticulture sector plays a crucial role as part of the ‘green economy’ and is aware that the priorities of the sector align with many of the environmental goals in the Environmental Improvement Plan. Ornamental horticulture is in scope of the majority of competitions in the Farming Innovation Programme. Under this programme we have committed over £80 million to 163 projects. Of that funding, around a quarter (£19 million) is earmarked for projects focusing on horticulture and just under two thirds of that (£12 million) has potential application across both edible and ornamental sectors. Beyond this, the Tree Production Capital Grant will reopen soon for new funding applications. This grant provides funding to increase domestic production of tree seed and saplings by supporting investments in expansion, automation and mechanisation of facilities and equipment. This will help to improve nursery resilience and sustainability and increase the diversity of tree species produced, as well as the quantity of trees and tree seed coming into the market. Defra will continue to engage with the ornamental horticulture industry to understand the issues they face.